Apparatus for transporting thin metal sheets longitudinally with transverse tension
AssigneeSony Electronics Inc.
InventorsFusao Ishii, Joseph A. Marcanio
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thin strip or flat web of metal material is transported longitudinally in a stable manner and without contact to the working surface by providing a generally constant transverse tension to the web. Equally spaced holes are punched along the outer edges of the web and two oppositely arranged sprockets engage the holes and drive the metal strip without any contact across the width of the strip. The two sprockets are slidably engaged for concurrent rotation with each other and biased outwardly by a spring to provide the constant transverse tension as the web is driven longitudinally.
Claims7
An apparatus for providing transverse tension on a web of thin, flat material having periodic perforations formed along longitudinal edges thereof, comprising:
- first tractor means arranged adjacent to one flat surface of the web and having first engaging means engaging the perforations formed along one longitudinal edge of the web;
- second tractor means arranged adjacent to said one flat surface of the web and having second engaging means engaging the perforations along another longitudinal edge of the web;
- means for slidably coupling said first and second tractor means for mutual concurrent rotation and for permitting mutual displacement therebetween relative to a width of the web;
- and
- biasing means for urging said first tractor means away from said second tractor means relative to the width of the web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.